The Chevy Citation was Motor Trends 1980 car of the year. Chevy sold 800,000 in the US in 1980. Saab has been selling a 4-door hatch in the US since 1978. The 4-door hatch is one of the most popular car layouts in the world. It just isn't popular in the US. Ford sold the Focus ZX-5 in the US from 2002-2004
i cant believe the Citation was COTY.... knew two people who had them, different years i m guessing and both were major major CRAP
Toyota Camry 1985 and Toyota Corolla Seca 1986. I stick with what I said earlier, I worked on all makes of car for 17 years of my career as a motor mechanic, it is this experience which convinced me that there is only one manufacturer of cars I trust, Toyota. You guys buy what ever you like, don't bother me.
I am impress with so many very knowledgeable people. Maybe I should have said "the first 4 doors kammback hatchback".
I think it is a pretty classic Kamm-effect design. The taper continues to the point of about 50% of the vehicle's cross-section, where it then drops right toward the ground. I'm not about to make any argument about its beauty, but it does have every appearance of a 4-door Kamm-designed hatchback.
Does the 1978 Chevy Chevette count? See HowStuffWorks "1977, 1978, 1979, 1980 Chevrolet Chevette". My dad had a 1980 Chevette (which is what the above is) and it was car was a piece of crap. It was noisy, crude and couldn't accelerate, turn or stop worth beans. It wasn't particularly reliable either, contrary to what the article claims (nor were any GM products we owned). A friend of mine had one in high school and it was such a stripped down model that it had no glovebox door.
To add to the Kammback discussion... here's a funny video of the 1971 Chevy Vega Kammback. "It's not a station wagon, it's a Kammback!"
Whew! Pretty hard to call that a Kamm-back car. I see the "slope" on the tailgate, but it is hard to see how that is a gradual decrease or anything approaching a tear-drop design that is cut off. In fact, it is hard to find the design elements, period.
Hey the 2010 Insight looks like a great car. I hope you have many good years with it. Everybody has to feel good about what they get and there is no right or wrong. The Insight is, on its own merits, a great car. And its new - even better. Nothing quite like a new car. Have fun and be safe.
Sat in the back seat of an Insight while my daughter test drove it. I was unimpressed other than that interior space was kind of tight. Lifting the hood, I spotted the belt driven A/C compressor and I agree that Honda dropped the ball on that one. Long-story-short, daughter turned her back on the Insight, seeing as how she could buy a bigger, better year- end '09 Prius with lots of goodies for about the same price as the Insight. But, truth be told, I believe she won't buy either hybrid, favoring instead a sporty Civic coupe that's most like the Acura Integra her husband totaled for her. From a superficial assessment I believe Honda will have trouble competing with the 2010 Prius, now that Toyota has priced a base model only slightly above the Insight.
Since I have owned both a Prius (Classic model) like that and one with electric A/C (Iconic model), it's pretty easy to agree with that particular point. Sitting in the blazing sun waiting for a stoplight with the A/C still running but the engine off sure is a nice improvement. .
How much does that hybrid premium feature worth? It has to worth something because Honda obviously left it out to cut cost. I think new hybrid buyers should not overlook this important hybrid premium feature.
I am so glad to have a segue into my favorite rant: The Chevy Citation, and in my unfortunate experience, the Pontiac Phoenix of 1980. Needing to get out of a 9 mpg '73 Mercury Marquis, I fell in love with the Pontiac Phoenix because of the practical design concept--4 cylinder, 4-door hatchback. Piece of crap? This Phoenix should never have risen from its legendary ashes, to which it soon returned. After taking delivery, I noticed that the front and back doors were slightly out of vertical alignment. Opened the doors to find that GM had an oops: They actually cut off the original hinge mountings on the B pillar and rewelded them a half inch lower, almost getting it right the second time. By the time I traded this junker for an'86 Accord, I had replaced the transmission, had controls falling off the dash, upholstery seams splitting and paint peeling off the hatch. As for performance, it never could make the up-slope on the B. Franklin bridge without knocking furiously. That car turned me off to GM for life. In fact, I haven't bought a US car since then. My personal conclusion: GM is getting its just deserts. By screwing the public with shoddy products for near-term profit, they destroyed their reputation forever. Deming gave them first crack at the concept of quality production, but they blew him off. Toyota bought his recommendations and made him their legendary prophet. So here we are praising our Prii and lamenting the loss of an "American Icon".
A Chevy Citation pulled out in front of my 1990 Mustang back in '93 and completely totalled it...... Two days after I had dropped my full coverage insurance because I couldn't afford it (I was a dumb kid). Ohh it gets worse. The driver of the Citation was not a legal citizen and didn't have ANY insurance. I HATE Chevy Citations! :focus:
I'm getting tired of hearing about this "bigger, better" thing with the Prius. I mean, if a big car is so important, go buy a Hummer. Personally, I prefer small cars and so when people say a car is bigger, then that is a turn off for me.
